The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1887-12-31

q Hlst0rioaI oolIections in Danger.


The New Jersey Historical Society
whose library is located at 757 Broad
Street. Newark, has now reached point
in its work where its value to he State
and the whole country is beyond calcu-
lation, and it seriously needs new fire
proof building for the proper placing and
preservation of its literary treasures.
Every shelf and table is full and in the
rooms where we were accustomed to have
our meetings and partake of our frugal
lunch, the floors Themselves are covered
with valuable books and pamphlets.
It is mostimportant that the $40, 900
needed to improve the plot of ground
now owned by the Society which is
worth $4,000, should be raised at as
early date as possible, for the present
quarters must be abandoned In sh ort
time, any way, and these talented produc-
tions the results Of so many years OF
patient labor must be guarded with yea
lous care.
The plans for the new building have
been made and accepted, and some money
has been raised.
For the credit of the old Jersey name
and stock it is to be hoped this most
worthy AMI most deserving project will
not want for friends to urge it on to
successful completion.
In these rooms at the top of the build
ing we noted among other papers of
value and rarity, the lease and release
from the Duke Of York by which Lord
Berkely and Sir George Carteret became
the possessors of all New Jersey, in con-
sideration Of ''Tenn Shillings of Lawfully
Mon6y Of England aud the payment "of
pepper corn upon the Feast of the ma
tivity of st. John Baptist next insuing,"
Dated March 70, 1864. Near by was the
original Qnintipartite decd between Sir
Geoi &c Cartaret and William Penn and
others, dividing the Province Of New
Jersey into East and West Jersey, dated
July $50, 1874, also the original release
from Elizabeth Carteret to the tzoelve
Pyobrietors dated February lst, 1872.
Everywhere around me were the writ
ings of New Jerseys ablest patriots,
pioneers, divlnes and Statesmen; such
names as Berkeley, Campbell, Hamilton,
Livingston, Cambury, Hunter, Bennit,
Paterson. Franklin, Boone, Ogden, Pen
nlngton, Frelinghuysen, Dickerson, Will
Vroome, Southland, yes and the
actual signatures of hundreds Of Others
whose words of historic worth it should
be the pride of New Jersey to hand down
to the latest generation.
Surely there are many others who,
like'sh be writer, are proud to be members
OF this most important and we'll loved
association, and it is our duty to see to it
that this effort to build q proper struc-
ture for the preservation of these treas
ures, IAN effort proposed as far back as
1862 shall not now be permitted to fail
tor the want of en- thusiasm or practical
financial aid.
The writer himself was strongly in
favor of the Soclety's building on the
grounds owned by the Washington Asso-
citation (ol which he is member,) ground
which in accordance with the society's
would be given the Historic
cal Society free, but the laws of the latter
association compels the location of the
building to be in Newark which is a
much more central location, so this de-
cisIon is probably most wise, especially as
it will have the endorsement Of ali those
leading members who reside in Newark.
J. G. PUMPELLY
Morristown, N. j.. Dec. 2S. 1887.